Alka Lamba, OP Sharma fail to resolve dispute

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court posted for Friday arguments in a row involving BJP legislator OP Sharma, accused of making derogatory remarks on AAP MLA Alka Lamba.

Sharma, suspended for two sessions from the Delhi Assembly, and the Aam Aadmi Party’s Lamba could not reach a settlement in the court on Thursday. After almost two hours of mediation with both leaders, justice Manmohan Singh said a settlement doesn’t seem possible and posted the matter for Friday.

The BJP leader moved the high court to challenge a Delhi assembly resolution suspending him for two sessions. As the leaders could not reach a settlement, Sharma could not attend the special assembly session on Thursday.

Speaking to the media outside the court, senior advocate Aman Lekhi who represents Sharma said both sides agreed to withdraw the statements made against each other but no settlement could be reached.

The Delhi government had on Wednesday told the court that Sharma had not “regretted” about what he had said about Lamba.

Referring to a report of an ethics committee of the assembly on the issue, the government said Sharma was given chances to express regret on his remarks but he refused.

The committee earlier “unanimously” recommended stripping Sharma of his membership for his remarks against Lamba and being “unrepentant” about it.

In his plea, Sharma said the committee’s decision was “wrong and biased” because all its nine members were AAP members.

“The proceedings were biased and conducted in a malafide manner, contrary to the principles of natural justice, to target Sharma,” his petition said.

Sharma had earlier said: “My intention was not to hurt Lamba as she is like my sister but if she felt offended I express regret over it.”